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Families forced into a deadly spiral in Central African Republic

Renewed violence across the CAR following December elections has led to a growing humanitarian crisis.

"They recruited many young people to go and fight. They paid us $30 and gave us one Kalashnikov for two. We died like animals,” said Siriri. [Tom Peyre-Costa/NRC]
By Tom Peyre-Costa
Published On 18 Mar 2021

Siriri’s gaze darts around and his voice trembles as he speaks about his experiences, how he was shot in the throat and traumatised. Out of seven of his friends recruited by armed groups, only two came back.

He wants to remain anonymous and has chosen this name, which means “peace” in the Sango dialect. He was recruited before the general elections in the Central African Republic in December, when conflicts escalated between a new coalition of armed groups and government forces in several parts of the country.

The high number of cases of child recruitment is one of the most adverse effects of the worsening humanitarian crisis in the country. Like many, Siriri was promised a future where he could eat his fill.

Hunger has also pushed many displaced people to take tremendous risks by leaving camps to seek food, exposing themselves to violence. Women and men are maimed, raped and killed.

A lack of security is hampering the timely delivery of humanitarian aid such as food, water, shelter and medicines. In parallel, the scarcity of food and basic necessity items has lead to skyrocketing prices, preventing already vulnerable families from being able to feed themselves.

Today, almost one in three Central Africans have been displaced. While food, primary healthcare, water, and shelter are the most pressing humanitarian needs, alarming reports of sexual violence against women and girls as well as forced recruitment highlight an urgent need for protection.

"We eat once a day in the camp, sometimes I am too tired to play," Brice said. Since the escalation of the conflict in December, cases of severe acute malnutrition among children under five in the CAR have increased by 16 percent compared to the same period in 2020. This is largely due to widespread insecurity hampering the delivery of aid. [Tom Peyre-Costa/NRC]
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Even before the most recent displacement crisis, nearly 1.3 million people were displaced in the country or across its borders. Both newly and long-term displaced are the primary victims of the renewed violence across the country. The 25,000 displaced people in Lazare camp have not received food for months. [Tom Peyre-Costa/NRC]
The lack of food assistance forces women and men to venture into the bush to find something to eat or wood to sell - putting themselves at risk of attacks from armed groups or other communities. "I was fetching fruit outside the camp when a shepherd hit me with his blade. They don't want us to leave the camp and go on their land, but we need food. He slashed me and broke my arm," said Magnou, a displaced woman living in a camp. [Tom Peyre-Costa/NRC]
Following numerous incursions by armed groups into villages since December, more than 100,000 people found temporary refuge in fields and forests near their towns, which they consider safer. Others have found protection in schools and churches, near UN peacekeeper bases, or with host families. [Tom Peyre-Costa/NRC]
Humanitarian organisations are concerned by the alarming increase in displacement in the CAR since December. The number of internally displaced people (IDPs) has not been this high since the peak of the conflict in 2013/2014. And while some people may hope to be able to return home one day, many will not be able to. [Tom Peyre-Costa/NRC]
Only a few months after returning to school following closures due to the COVID pandemic, children are once again seeing their education interrupted. The latest surge of violence has left half of the country’s children without access to education. As of March 2021, 26 schools remain in the CAR, occupied by armed groups, and 1,000 more are unusable due to damage or destruction. [Tom Peyre-Costa/NRC]
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Since the surge of violence in the wake of presidential elections in mid-December, humanitarian access across the country has severely worsened. Many parts of the country are controlled by armed groups. Humanitarian operations in certain areas have been temporarily suspended because of insecurity. Most of the roads are not secured and attacks against aid workers rose sharply over the last few months. This widespread insecurity hampers the timely delivery of humanitarian assistance. Airlifting aid and aid workers is often the only option. [Tom Peyre-Costa/NRC]
A conflict erupted in the CAR in 2013 between the rival Seleka and Anti-balaka armed groups. Fighting has since spread and destabilised the country, resulting in human rights abuses and targeted killings along communal lines. Today more than half of the population - 2.8 million people - needs humanitarian assistance to survive. [Tom Peyre-Costa/NRC]
Philomène is one of those who were displaced well before the latest surge of violence. It has been nearly six years since armed men attacked her village. "They shot everywhere, they hit everyone, they raped the women. I was alone in the house. My brother was killed in front of me. Nothing has changed for us in six years. We have nothing, we only eat once a day, my children too. We have been forgotten, we haven't received anything for a very long time,” she said. [Tom Peyre-Costa/NRC]
Dadji is a young displaced mother. She and her new-born child live in fear of attacks. “We are not safe, even in this camp. All over the country, when we sleep at night, we are afraid," Dadji said. [Tom Peyre-Costa/NRC]
In addition to IDPs, more than 700,000 Central Africans were forced abroad to flee the fighting and abuses. They have sought refuge in neighbouring countries such as DR Congo, Cameroon and Chad. Dadji fled the violence and found shelter in Chad. She and her family recently returned to the CAR and have not received enough support. "When we arrived we were given food, but since then nothing. We are forced to fetch wood from the bush and sell it to get something to eat. We need help. The international community has forgotten us,” Dadji said. [Tom Peyre-Costa/NRC]
The crisis in the CAR is one of the world’s most neglected displacement crises. About $445m are required to meet humanitarian needs this year, but so far only about 8 percent of this has been delivered. [Tom Peyre-Costa/NRC]